Torsion tube-support for rear-axle housings of automobiles.



E. J. GULIGK.

TORSION TUBE SUPPORT FOR REAR AXLE HOUSINGS 01-" AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED SEP T.13,1907. 92.3,05. Patented May 25, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

v E. J. GULIGK. TORSION TUBE SUPPORT FOR REAR AXLE HOUSINGS OF AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED SBPT.13,1907.

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' unrrno s'rArns PATENT OFF-ion.-

EDWARD J. GULioK, or MISHAWAKLINDTANA.

Tension TUBE-SUPPORT FOR nEAR-Axnnfnoirsmes'or AUTOMOBILES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knowmthat I, EDWARD J. GULIOK, a

- citizen of the United States, residing at Mishawaka, the county of St. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Torsion Tube SuPPorts'for Rear-Axle Ho of AutO' shaft;

mobiles',-0f which the following is av specification. My invention relates to means for preventing; the housing surrounding the rear axle of a motor. vehicle from turning with the inclosed parts. To effect this result I employ a torsion tube connected at its rear end to the casing near the central portion of the same and almost below the main driving The front'end of this tube is connected to the main frame of the machine by a pair of ball and socket joints which give the tube a universal movement. Springs are provided so that the movement of the tube up and down, due to driving the axle forwardly or to applying the brakes, is prop erly cushioned.

I-have illustrated the preferred en1bodiment of my invention on the accompanying sheets of drawing wherein like reference characters refer'to the same parts throughout the various views. 7

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved torsion tube connection and shows the rear axle in section and the frame of'the .machine partially broken away; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionon line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the frameof the machine being omitted; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3-3 of Fig.1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section at the forward.

end of the torsion tube showing its universal connection with the frame of the machine;

and Fig.5 is afragmentary plan view of a part .of: the device shown in Fig. at.

The automobile or motor vehicle has amain frame including a longitudinal channel bar 10 and a transverse channel bar 11 located some distance in advance of'the rear axle 12 and its inclosing housing 13, which has a forward extension 14: containing the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 13, 1907.

Patented May 25, 1909.

Serial No. 392,633.

about the axle either forwardly or rearwardly. I therefore provide the mechanism with a bent torsion tube 17 which at its rear end fits within a cylindrical recess 18 'ofcasing 14; nearly below the en be driving shaft 15, as is clearly shown in ig. 2. The outside wall of the recess or aperture 18 is split at 19, the two parts being connected by bolts 20 by means of which the end of the torsion tube may be firmly bound or grasped in its housing recess. By locating the tube in the position shown, 'it is more nearly beneath the center of gravity of the parts supported thereby than has heretofore been usual, and is therefore more efficiently placed for sustaining the load which it supports.

At the front end of the tube is located a ball or globe 21 having a stem 22 fitted within the tube, as is shown in Fig. 4. The ball 21 is housed within a socket or. cylindrical casing 23 having an upwardly-projecting rod extension 24:." Socket 23 is hollow an has an opening 25 on the side toward tube 17 for the accommodation of the extension 22 of the ball. Fitted within the lower end of this socket 23 is a concave socket member 26 on which the'ball 21 rests, a ca nut 27 being provided for holding the mem er 26 in place. A transverse pin28 prevents backing off of the nut. In the upper part of socket 23 I provide a similar'concave socket member .29,

the concave lower surface of which bears upon the top of ball 21 and is pressed downwardly thereagainst to take up wear by .meansof a spring 30 interposed between the top wall of the socket or casing 23 and the member 29, as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 4:.

The. housing 31 having a partially spherical or globular internal lower surface 32 is supported on the transverse channel bar 11 y faces 32 and 36 bearing upon an internal hollow ball or globe 37 A .threadedhollow dust cap 38 screws on the top of nut 35 and forms a dust-tight joint at 39 to prevent the entrance of foreign substances to thebearing. The dust cap 38 has an'hexagonal head 40 for the application of a wrench thereto to screw the same into place. In order that the surface 32 maybe adjusted to take up the wear of theparts, the housing or casing 31 is split along one side at 41 (Fig. the two parts being bound together by one or more bolts 42. The ball or has an aperture 43 extended therethrough and has internal hubs 44 forming bearings for the rod extension 24 which passes through the aperture. At its upper end rod 24.- is equipped with a nut 45, and between this i nut and the top flat face of the ball or globe 37 is interposed acoil spring 46, whilebetween the-top end of the socket or casing 23 and the bottom flat face of the ball or globe 37,1 interpose a similar spring 47. The opening 48 through the bottom ofthe housing 31 and the opening through nut 35 are suiiiciently large to allow the ball and the rod 2-1 extendedtherethrough a considerable movement withm its two-part socket bearmg.

It is obvious from the construction shown and descrlbed that the torsion tube 17 may have a limited up and down movement because of the sliding connection of the rod 24 with the ball 37, and that its movement in either direction is cushioned and limited'by the springs 46-a11d 47. The ball and socket joints-21, 26, 2 9 and 37, 32, 36 provide a universal connection or joint for the forward end of the tube so that it may turn in any direction. This'sort of universaljoint is necessary because of the relative movement between the frame of the automobile and its rear axle due to the different loads received by the automobile body and to the jarring and vibration of the same when traveling.

- It is apparent. then that I have produced a support for the front end of the torsion tube which permits it to have all the movements necessary and which cushions its-movement up or down'due to the application of power to the rear axle, and also due to applying the brakes to the same parts. Furthermore, the connection ofthe rear end of.

the tube to the casing 13 near the central portion thereof, and nearly below the, center of gravity thereof, provides a construction .whereby the parts are supported more effectively than in those constructions where the tube is joined or connected to the casing at one side and atsome little distance from the center of gravity. j

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in t e structural details shown and described wi out departure from the substance and heart of my invention globe 37 front end of said tube and; said, frame, the

socket of said joint comprising a pair of concave members one of which is spring pressed toward the ball between them, substantially'as described.

3. In a motor-vehicle, the comblnatlon of a rear axle housing, a machine frame, a tor sion tube fastened to said housing at its rear end, a ball and socket joint supportedby said frame, the ball of said joint having 'an aperture therethrough, anda rod connected to the front end of said torsion tube and extended through said aperture, substantially as described.

4. In a motor-vehicle, the combination of a rear axle housing, a machine frame, a torsion tube fastened to said housing at its rear end, a ball and socket joint supported by saidframe, the ball of said joint having an aperture t-herethrough, a rod connected to the front end of said torsion tube and extended throughsaid aperture, and a pair of springs interposed between abutments on said rod and the opposite sides of. said ball,.substantially as described.

5. In a motor-vehicle, the combination of,

a rear axle housing, a machine frame, a tor- Y sion tube fastened to saidhousingat its rear end, a ball and socket joint supported by said frame, the ball of said joint having an aperture therethrough, a ball and socket joint at the front end of said torsion tube, a socket or casing inclosingsaid latter ball and socket joint, a rod forming anextension of said socket or casing passing through said aperture, an abutment on the end of.

said rod, a spring interposed between said abutment and the aperturedball, and another spring interposed between'said socket or casing and the opposite side of said apertured ball, substantially as described.

EDWARD J. GULICK.

Witnesses I I L. R. RoBnR,

J. W. GRAHAM. 

